Dana Weidman experienced what she calls the “full circle of life of Head Start.”

Her Head Start journey began in 1999 as a 3-year-old preschool student at the Beekman Street Center of Luzerne County Head Start. Weidman credits the program with setting a foundation for her future success, from academics to socializing with peers. Her teacher even inspired her future career path.  

After two years of preschool at LCHS, Weidman successfully transitioned to kindergarten. However, her Head Start story didn’t end there. 

Later, Weidman decided to give back to LCHS as a volunteer. She primarily volunteered for Jump Start, a supplemental program the agency offers to a select group of incoming students every summer, and helped out teachers in their classrooms. This included her mother, Aimee Schneider, a longtime LCHS teacher who now works in the Edwardsville Center. 

As a senior at Coughlin High School, Weidman earned an LCHS Alumni Scholarship from the agency that allowed her to purchase textbooks for her first year at Wilkes University. She originally pursued nursing, but it just didn’t feel right. Knowing her heart was in early childhood and elementary education, Weidman switched majors. She graduated in 2018. 

After college, she heard of a job opportunity where it all began: Luzerne County Head Start. The agency’s Mehoopany Center in Wyoming County needed a teacher, and Weidman had no doubt that she would be the perfect fit. 

“It’s actually really emotional for me because that’s where my roots started,” she said. 

Knowing firsthand the importance of giving children a “Head Start” in school and life, Weidman appreciates being a part of the mission for future generations. She wants students to think of school as a safe place to learn and have fun. 

“The best part about being a Head Start teacher is to see the growth from Day 1 to Day 180,” she said. 

Several “mission moments” come to mind when Weidman reflects on her time at LCHS. It spoke volumes to Weidman when a former Head Start student, now in fourth grade, told her “Miss Dana, I wish that I can come back to your classroom.” 

“Once they step foot into my classroom, I always tell their parents that they’re my children now, so I will treat them and love them and teach them how I would want my child to be taught and loved and cared for,” she said.

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate

United Way of Wyoming Valley visited the Beekman Street Center on December 19 for a holiday storytime and check presentation.

United Way of Wyoming Valley President and CEO Bill Jones (also known as Buddy the Elf), read “The Poky Little Puppy’s Wonderful Winter Day” to Classrooms #3 and 5. Each child unwrapped their own copy of the book from United Way to read at home.

Luzerne County Head Start relies on funding from United Way of Wyoming Valley to provide comprehensive services to pregnant women, children from birth to age 3, and their families through its Early Head Start home visiting program. Before the storytime, United Way formally presented a $75,000 check for EHS funding that LCHS received earlier this year.

LCHS is grateful for its continued support from the local United Way.

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate

PNC Bank showed its appreciation for early childhood educators at Luzerne County Head Start.

As part of its Grow Up Great® initiative, PNC gave teacher appreciation gifts to 10 randomly selected Head Start classrooms and Early Head Start family educators. 

Classrooms in the Back Mountain, Nanticoke LCCC, Beekman Street, Edwardsville, Nanticoke, Tunkhannock and Dodson centers, as well as an EHS Wilkes-Barre family educator, each received a gift box containing a $250 Lakeshore Learning gift card, colored pencils, breathing cards, a sensory ring and a wellness journal. 

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate

Children at Luzerne County Head Start will have warm coats this winter thanks to the generosity of Bafile Family Chiropractic in Sugarloaf, a longtime community partner.

Bafile Family Chiropractic collected 28 coats through its annual Coats for Kids drive for children in LCHS programs. It’s been a tradition at their practice for 15 years. LCHS staff quickly distributed the coats to families throughout the agency.

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate

Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. (LCHS) will once again provide its ‘Jump Start’ summer learning experience to children in the summer of 2024, thanks to a golf tournament sponsored by Navient; a company that provides technology-enabled education finance and business processing solutions.

The annual event held at Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club in Mountain Top raised approximately $20,000 for LCHS’s Jump Start program.

The program is a 4-week-long summer learning experience that offers comprehensive services for 30 eligible 3 and 4-year-old children who will attend LCHS in the fall.

This year marked the 17th year for the tournament. Since its beginning, the tournament has raised $340,000 to support the summer learning program. In addition to the tournament, several businesses provided sponsorship and gift donations for raffle drawings and other prizes.

The Navient Community Fund also awarded a $5,000 grant to Head Start to help support the program.

STAFF INFORMATION FOR THE 2023-2024 PROGRAM YEAR:

***CLICK HERE*** TO VIEW THE WELCOME BACK SCHEDULE 2023-2024

We are excited to welcome back our staff for the 2023-2024 School Year! Current staff who have a position/assignment change will be notified directlly via letter prior to the return date. For those staff who are not contacted directly, return will be to their own position and center assignment.

Important Return to Work Dates for Staff:

• 8/14/23 – Center Managers, Teachers, Associate Teachers, Classroom Aides, Family Workers, Regional Nurses and Health Assistants return to work on Monday, August 14th.
• 8/21/23 – Cooks and Nutrition Aides return to work on Monday, August 21st.
• 8/22/23 – The ‘All Staff’ meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 22nd at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
• 9/4/23 – Offices are closed for the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 4th.
• 9/5/23 – The first day of class for children is Tuesday, September 5th.
  
  

CLICK HERE for the 2023-2024 Program Year Calendar

CLICK HERE for a list of available career opportunities

Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. held its 58th annual anniversary celebration and alumni scholarship luncheon on Monday, May 15th. Thirty-five individuals were recognized for milestone years of service at Head Start. Four community members also received the agency’s Outstanding Community Partner award for their exemplary dedication to the mission of Head Start.

Lynn Evans Biga, executive director at LCHS, was awarded the agency’s third annual ‘Bold Leadership Award’ and recognized for 45 years of service; for 34 of those years she has served as Luzerne County Head Start’s executive director.

Former Head Start student, Amber Growhowski, served as keynote speaker. Grohowski is a 2016 graduate from Greater Nanticoke Area. She received her degree in neuroscience from Wilkes University in 2020, and is currently employed as a surgical neurophysiologist at Procirca’s Center for Clinical Neurophysiology in Williamsport.

Additionally, 15 students who will graduate from high schools in Luzerne and Susquehanna Counties received more than $22,000 in scholarship awards that are funded by individuals and businesses in the community.

The event was sponsored by The Benco Family Foundation and was held at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Approximately 275 individuals from the community and agency were in attendance. This is the first time the event was held in person since 2019.

WHAT: Luzerne County Head Start’s 58th annual alumni scholarship luncheon
WHEN: Monday, May 15, 2023 from 12pm – 2pm
WHERE: Mohegan Pennsylvania | 1280 PA-315, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
ABOUT: Head Start alumni will be recognized with scholarships for higher education; staff and
community partners will be awarded for their outstanding service to LCHS

Fifteen Luzerne County Head Start (LCHS) alumni from seven school districts in Luzerne and Susquehanna Counties who will continue their education after high school will be honored at LCHS’s 58th anniversary luncheon. The celebration will take place on Monday, May 15 at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Plains Twp. Near Wilkes-Barre.

This year, LCHS will recognize 15 students with scholarships totaling $22,100. To date, the LCHS alumni scholarship program has awarded 333 scholarships totaling $333,450.00. The scholarships are provided through private sponsors, including local businesses, organizations, and community leaders. Students who received scholarships submitted applications and were selected by LCHS’s scholarship committee through a point selection process.

In addition to the scholarship awards, staff and community members will be honored for their years of service and dedication to LCHS. Awards will be distributed to LCHS’s 2023 “Outstanding Community Partners,” including Darcie Shaffer, Volunteers in Medicine; Beth Kratz, Greater Nanticoke Area Family Center/Pre-K Counts; Trooper Anthony Petroski, Hazleton State Police; and Marie Meade, Harveys Lake Community News

Ellen Galinsky, author or “Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs,” spoke to a crowd of Luzerne County Head Start (LCHS) staff and Wilkes University’s education students and professionals at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts.

The event was held as a partnership between Head Start and the University. The keynote presentation called “Learning and Thriving: Questions and Lessons Learned” by the best selling author addressed the science behind early childhood learning and development.

The event was held as a professional development opportunity for Head Start staff as well as aspiring early childhood education professionals.

Dr. Jonathan D. Ference, associate provost at Wilkes University, addresses Head Start staff.